# Ottolenghi’s Black Pepper Stir-fry

A delicious black pepper stir-fry featuring extra-firm tofu, shallots, garlic, and ginger, flavored with a mix of soy sauces and black pepper.

- Cuisine: Chinese
- Category: Dinner
- Language: en

## Ingredients

- 2 lbs extra-firm tofu
- Neutral oil for frying
- Cornstarch to dust the tofu
- 11 tbsp butter
- 12 oz shallots, thinly sliced
- 15 garlic cloves, crushed
- 3 tbsp chopped fresh root ginger
- 3 tbsp sweet soy sauce (kecap manis)
- 3 tbsp light soy sauce
- 4 tsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 3 tbsp ground pepper
- 16 small and thin spring onions, cut into 1.2-inch segments

## Instructions

1. Pour enough oil into a large frying pan or wok to come 0.2 inches up the sides and heat.
2. Cut the tofu into large cubes, about 1.2 x 0.8 inches.
3. Toss the tofu cubes in some cornstarch and shake off the excess.
4. Add the tofu to the hot oil and fry, turning them around as you go, until they are golden all over and have a thin crust.
5. As the tofu pieces are cooked, transfer them onto kitchen paper.
6. Remove the oil and any sediment from the pan.
7. Add the butter to the pan and melt it.
8. Add the shallots, garlic, and ginger to the pan.
9. Sauté on low to medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the ingredients have turned shiny and are totally soft.
10. Add the soy sauces and sugar and stir.
11. Add the crushed black pepper.
12. Add the tofu to warm it up in the sauce for about a minute.
13. Finally, stir in the spring onions.
14. Serve hot, with steamed rice.

## Equipment

- large frying pan
- wok
- kitchen paper

## Tips

- Fry the tofu in batches to prevent stewing.
- Serve hot with steamed rice.

## Source

- Original video: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DRA8aRJkjLv/?igsh=cnJ6OTZpajkzaHVu
- Recipe page: https://www.cliprecipe.com/recipe/1a30fe3f-7462-4021-b84d-c2c25ded443f
- Extracted: 2026-01-05

Extracted from the video by Clip Recipe (https://www.cliprecipe.com). Quantities and steps are as stated or shown in the video. Site guide for agents: https://www.cliprecipe.com/llms.txt